Jonathan Crane (New Earth)
First Encounter with Batman and Afterwards The deaths of the Gotham University dean and four regents earned Crane the attention of Gotham City's newest guardian - the Batman. Batman, working alongside the recently promoted police captain James Gordon, investigated the case and fought with the Scarecrow. Crane was apprehended and sent to Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane. The Scarecrow was soon recruited into a gang of super-villains led by Two-Face to battle Carmine Falcone's criminal empire. The group was also responsible for the Columbus Day Massacre of Gotham's mob bosses. The team disbanded after a battle with The Hangman and the battle at the Batcave with the newly-formed Dynamic Duo, Batman and Robin. A psychopathic sadist, the Scarecrow was one of the many criminals in Gotham City to be confined to Arkham Asylum whenever Batman apprehended him. Ironically, the Scarecrow had a phobia of birds, possibly due to an attack by birds as a child, although he has been shown occasionally as having a pet crow named Craw. The Scarecrow was a regular member of the Injustice Gang and briefly joined the Secret Society of Super-Villains. In later years, his modus operandi has made him unsuited to work in teams, and he is not often seen outside the Batman family of characters. Knightfall Crane escaped Arkham Asylum on the massive breakout orchestrated by Bane and after a few days he learned that Joker had teamed up with Cornelius Stirk. Scarecrow terrorized one of Joker's henchmen to learn the location of his boss and soon he found the Joker. Scarecrow was mad at Joker for teaming up with a lesser fear-themed criminal like Stirk and he offered Joker a partnership in order to terrorize Mayor Krol. That same night, they went to Krol's house and dosed him with Scarecrow's Fear Toxin, forcing the Mayor of Gotham to do as they will. Following Joker's suggestion, Scarecrow forced Krol to call the president of the union of firefighters to tell him that he was cutting their rolls. Scarecrow then used his Fear Toxin on Krol again in order to force him to call the GCPD and give them false information that would lead them to a death trap. As the Crow Flies Scarecrow was briefly transformed into a murderous creature known as the Scarebeast by the Penguin to kill off the Penguin's disloyal colleagues. In this incarnation, the Scarebeast possessed super strength and endurance and could release an even stronger hallucinogenic gas. After being defeated by Batman, the Scarebeast reverted back into Jonathan Crane. Some time later, Scarecrow was present at the massive criminal meeting at Robinson Park during the great gang war of Gotham and attacked Batman along with many other criminals. Batman grabbed and discovered Black Mask as the impostor posing as Orpheus and he was about to knock him down when Scarecrow attacked Batman, allowing Black Mask to escape. Later, Scarecrow joined Killer Croc and together they followed Black Mask to the North End of Gotham. Black Mask took Scarecrow to the Gotham Clock Tower, mistankenly calling it the Batcave and together went inside the tower. Black Mask used Scarecrow's body to overload the security system by tossing him into a room full of lasers, causing Scarecrow to be badly burned. Scarecrow recovered and the thoughts of revenge filled his mind, allowing him to transform into the Scarebeast once again. He was attacked by the combined forces of Robin, Batgirl, Onyx, Tarantula and Catwoman, but he was most likely defeated by the destruction of the Gotham Clock Tower. The Scarecrow later became the pawn of Darkseid and his sycophantic toadie DeSaad. They used their resources to transform Crane into a being named Schrocken. Crane was taken to Apokolips, but was later rescued due to the efforts of Batman and Superman. -40 Batgirl Rising Around the time that Stephanie Brown became the latest incarnation of Batgirl, Scarecrow developed a new recreational drug called "Thrill." He and his minions worked on spreading "Thrill" throughout the city, specifically in the "Devil's Square" area. Batgirl managed to track Scarecrow to his hideout, and engaged him in combat. Scarecrow deployed "Thrill" against her, making Batgirl's innoculation against his standard fear-gas next to useless. Batgirl was given hallucinations of Tim Drake and her Spoiler identity telling her that she was a terrible person and deserved to be dead, while at the same time, Scarecrow beat her. She snapped out of it just in time when Oracle shouted over her comlink, "Batgirl! Wake up!" Batgirl then proceeded to defeat Scarecrow, and then left him tied up for the police.Batgirl (Volume 3) #2-3 ]] Blackest Night During the Blackest Night, as the Black Lantern Corps rampages through Gotham City, Scarecrow wandered through the streets, wanting to feel the terror the Black Lanterns are causing the citizens, but revealing that overexposure to his fear gas has left him emotionally dead, unable to feel fear, courage, or any of the other five emotions on the Emotional Spectrum, except when facing Batman. When Ganthet causes the rings of the Seven Lanterns on Earth to duplicate and deputize others on Earth, the Qwardian ring selects Crane, inducting him into the Sinestro Corps. Overjoyed at being able to feel fear again, Scarecrow eagerly joins the battle against the Black Lanterns.Green Lantern (Volume 4) #50 However, Lex Luthor, who had received the other Orange Lantern Ring, is overwhelmed by the orange light of avarice and takes Crane's ring. Brightest Day Some time later during the events of Brightest Day, Scarecrow begins kidnapping and murdering college interns working for LexCorp as a way of getting back at Luthor for stealing his ring. When Robin and Supergirl attempt to stop his plans, Scarecrow unleashes a new fear toxin that is powerful enough to affect a Kryptonian. The toxin forces Supergirl to see visions of a Black Lantern Reactron, but she is able to snap out of the illusion and help Robin defeat Scarecrow.Superman/Batman #77 He is eventually freed from Arkham when Deathstroke and the Titans break into the asylum in order to capture one of the inmates. | Powers = | Abilities = *'Chemistry': Jonathan Crane is a proficient chemist and has used this skill to develop his infamous "fear toxin". *'Intimidation': Using a variety of toxins that cause his victims to hallucinate that their phobias have come to life, the Scarecrow instills fear in all who see him. *'Martial Arts' :* Violent Dancing: When forced to fight, Crane uses his own martial arts style he calls "violent dancing", which is based in part on the crane style of kung fu, and makes full use of his long arms and legs. *'Psychology': Jonathan Crane is an expert in the field of psychology, specifically the study of anxiety disorders. He is a walking textbook on the study of fear, and can recite the name and description of nearly every known phobia. He often demonstrates his intellectual prowess by analyzing his fellow patients at Arkham Asylum. | Strength = | Weaknesses = | Equipment = | Transportation = | Weapons = *'Scarecrow's Fear Toxin' *'Yellow Power Ring' | Notes = | Trivia = * The Scarecrow was once offered membership in the Sinestro Corps, but Green Lantern Corps officers Hal Jordan and John Stewart intercepted the Qwardian Power Ring before Crane could be initiated. If chosen, Crane would have worn the ring of the late Sinestro Corps member Amon Sur.Green Lantern (Volume 4) #27 The same ring was offered to Batman. * Crane would later be given a ring, but only temporarily as a deputy member. | Recommended = | Wikipedia = Scarecrow (DC Comics) | Links = }} Category:Arkham Asylum inmates Category:Scientists Category:Injustice Gang I members Category:Secret Society of Super-Villains III members Category:Chemistry Category:Intimidation Category:Psychology